Appointed following a rigorous externally-run recruitment process, Howard is the current Executive Director of the BMF and recognised throughout the industry as a wise and astute campaigner on marine matters, with an extensive knowledge of the industry. He has an enviable record of success in promoting the industry to successive governments to improve the trading climate for British marine companies and has long been one of the most significant personalities in the industry.

Howard is well qualified to help the industry through the current financial difficulties and will continue the progress of positioning the BMF as one the most influential trade associations in the country. In his new role Howard will oversee both the work of the Federation and its two world-renowned boat shows in the Tullett Prebon London Boat Show and PSP Southampton Boat Show, where his many years of working with hundreds of members on commercial and reputational matters will be invaluable.

At the same time as making this appointment, the BMF’s Management Board has taken this opportunity to look at the senior structure of the organisation and has decided to consolidate the existing positions of Executive Director and Chief Executive. This structural change complements last year’s restructuring, thus reducing costs further and giving the BMF the focused leadership it needs for future success.

The board welcomes the new opportunities that this appointment brings and looks forward to a very successful tenure with Howard Pridding at the helm.

Rob Stevens, the current Chief Executive Officer, will be retiring from the British Marine Federation on Friday 28 September 2012.

Both Sam (left) and Richard (right) have worked for Icom UK for over a decade. The appointment of the two new board members will help develop the business and add extra expertise in the areas of sales and finance.

Bob Stockley, Managing Director said, “We are delighted to have Sam and Richard join us on the board. This is a very exciting time for our business, with huge developments in all our business sectors. Working with customers old and new, our long term goal is to secure growth whilst retaining our reputation of excellent service.”

Sam Taylor-Nobbs, Icom UK’s new Sales Director said, “I am delighted with my appointment by the board of Icom UK Ltd as Sales Director. I am relishing the opportunity and will endeavour to maintain the high standards that the company has built its reputation on, whilst growing the business at the same time. I am also very excited to be at the forefront of a business with a team of people that has such a personable attitude. It’s an exciting and challenging role and one in which I hope I can make a positive impact in terms of customer satisfaction, staff achievement, company growth.”

Richard Owen, Icom UK’s new Finance Director said, “’I am really pleased in joining the board of Icom UK. I came from auditing the business to the accountant’s job in 1999 and am proud to work for the company and with its people. I look forward to the new challenges of my Director’s role.”

Icom Marketing: marketing@icomuk.co.uk

RayControl transforms tablets into both a viewer and a full-function 2 way control; the tablet syncs with the multifunction display and users touch the tablet screen to control the MFD; pulling up charts, operating radar and thermal cameras, selecting menus, setting waypoints etc. in the same way as operating the MFD direct. RayControl also features a ‘pop-out’ virtual keypad mirroring the multifunction display’s rotary controller and hard keys, enabling users to operate all available functions wirelessly and remotely.  RayControl works with all Raymarine’s new e Series and c Series multifunction displays.

RayRemote is designed for use on smartphones, switching their smaller screens between a full screen MFD repeater display and a full screen virtual keypad with just a tap of the display. The complete virtual keypad mimics that found on the multifunction display, including cursor and rotary controls, allowing users to navigate features, rotate through menus, and make adjustments easily. RayRemote works with all Raymarine’s new e Series and c Series multifunction displays.

Thanks to the new e and c Series wi-fi connectivity, a single multifunction display can support multiple wireless control devices, such as a smartphone using RayRemote, and a tablet using RayControl.  The RayControl app will even enable the new c-Series display to be operated via touch; the menu system, apps and other features can be touch controlled via the RayControl app on tablet.

The new RayControl and RayRemote apps are a welcome and much anticipated addition to the existing free RayView app.  RayControl and RayRemote are available for Apple iOS, Android and Kindle Fire, and can be purchased via the Apple iTunes App store, Google Play Store for Android, and through the Amazon Android Marketplace.

Raymarine e Series and c Series owners can connect their MFDs to Raymarine mobile apps by upgrading their MFD to v3.15 software, available as a free download at www.raymarine.com

The Academy has been in existence for twelve years and receives no ongoing funding so has to run many different business streams to cover its overheads. Those business streams include events, conferencing and catering. With 25 members of staff working at the Academy it is vital that each business is managed efficiently and effectively, so good communication is vital.

Chris Knight, the Centres Business Manager said.’ We hold a lot of sailing events throughout the year and 2012 is no exception. This year is a great example of how pivotal the Academy is to sailing in the UK. Obviously the Olympics is an important spectacle coming to the South West but surprisingly, is not the largest event we deal with. Some of the sailing events are actually much bigger. Not only do we manage yachting events, but we look after dinghy, windsurfing, sea swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking as well. With the high volume of activity at the Sailing Academy we need dependable radio equipment which provides reliable communications in the marine environment.

Chris said, ‘We already use IC-M71 VHF marine hand portable radios and IC-F110M marine base stations to help organise the many high profile international events on the water. However, we now use the Icom IC-F27SR licence free two way radio as a land based radio solution.’

He added, ’the simplicity of the IC-F27SR means that a variety of our staff can use the radios. The radios provide good communications for on-site staff between offices and operational staff on the pontoons, in the dinghy park or in the Yacht yards.’

Chris said, ‘To ensure that the centre continues to flourish we have to be extremely focussed on customer service. This is quite challenging as our customer base is varied and ever changing so the licence free comms have proved invaluable in providing effective on-site communications.’

Asked how important the licence free radios have become? Chris said, ‘The radios have helped improve our customer service, allowing us to communicate to our staff, providing resolution to enquiries in a timely fashion. It also has saved us a huge amount of money by taking away the use of mobile radios.

‘We use them a lot at the weekends where we have a lot of marshalling to do. Timing is critical in a lot of our events and getting people into their kit, getting them to their boats on time is of paramount importance. With the licence free radios we can ensure that the whole team are on top of these pressures.’

So how have the radios performed? Chris said, I love the battery life of these radios…the radios seem to go on forever without charge. The IC-F27SR covers our facilities and provides crystal clear audio all of the time which we are pleased about. As it does operate on non-marine channels it can be used without interfering with ship-ship communications and does not require private marine channels to be used.’

The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy

The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) is a world class sailing venue and effectively promotes the sport of sailing to all levels of competence and ability, through courses, training and events, whilst supporting and working closely with the local community. The WPNSA will be the venue for the sailing competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, Weymouth and Portland has been recognised as having some of the best boating waters on the planet. The Academy currently runs a number of high profile regattas throughout the year and boasts fantastic conference and event facilities. The WPNSA is committed to conserving the local environment winning the 2008 Sport Industry Award for Environmental Concern in Sport as well as being shortlisted for the 2010 Sport Industry Award for ‘Sport Venue of the Year’ and 2011 Sport Industry Award for Sport Participation Event of the Year www.wpnsa.org.uk.

Cailah Leask, Fast Track Sailing: Cailah.leask@fasttracksailing.com
Icom Marketing marketing@icomuk.co.uk

The CLB2000, ships with a combination GPS and VHF antenna which means that just one compact 1.1 metre antenna is required for transponder operation.

With a class B AIS transponder your vessel identity and position is sent to other AIS users every 30 seconds and when connected to a plotter it also provides an overlay of nearby vessels equipped with AIS, which greatly aids navigation and improves anti-collision safety.

The CLB2000 is available now and is priced at £700 plus VAT complete with all antennas.  It is suitable for use on 12v and 24v DC systems.  For further information visit us on the CA Clase stand A341 at Seawork 2012 International exhibition from Tuesday May 22 until Thursday May 24 or go to www.digitaldeepsea.com or call +44 (0)117 955 4474.

The crew of two – entrepreneur and adventurer Andrew ‘Mos’ Morris, and Roz Savage, an environmental campaigner and one of the most experienced ocean rowers in the world – plan to depart St John’s Newfoundland around 14 May 2012. 

Their state of the art 24ft ocean rowing boat, Bojangles, is designed and built to withstand the extreme weather and harsh conditions of the ocean.  She is made of a Kevlar Carbon composite foam sandwich material and features pioneering self-righting and safety features and Raymarine instruments.

Bojangles is kitted out with the latest Raymarine integrated navigation, communication and safety equipment. Electronics on board include the Raymarine e7 compact multifunction display and the Raymarine AIS650, which will enable Bojangles to be seen clearly by larger vessels as well as alerting Roz and Andy to ships in the vicinity. The Raymarine ST60+ Speed instrument display, with its easy to use push button controls, will give them superior viewing of data day and night.

Their Raymarine LifeTag personal wireless man overboard system uses the latest in radio frequency broadcast technology to monitor the tagged crew ensuring they’re safe and sound onboard. 

Mos and Roz say: “Our Raymarine equipment is critical for a safe crossing.  It will give us easy access to reliable, accurate data, in a low maintenance system.  It’s essential for our safety, speed and to keep us to schedule, with the added benefit that it’s all integrated and easy to use. 

“We expect the e7 to be one of our most vital pieces of equipment.  The AIS will allow us to track the presence of vessels and their speed in shipping lanes. Just as importantly, Raymarine’s “see and be seen” capability significantly improves our navigational safety by making our boat visible on the chart and radar displays of much larger vessels.”  

Battling against the prevailing winds and powerful currents of the North Atlantic, Andrew and Roz will endure a gruelling routine; rowing two hours on, two hours off, twenty four hours a day. They will navigate icebergs and hazardous shipping lanes, and encounter bitter cold, fog, mountainous waves, storm force winds and unpredictable currents. The OAR is being undertaken completely independently – Bojangles is completely self sufficient and no support vessel will trail in her wake.

The route undertaken by the OAR crew has never been attempted in an ocean rowing boat. Following departure from Newfoundland (around May 142012), the estimated journey time across the North Atlantic is 60 days.  The crew will row through the infamous Canadian Grand Banks, an area of comparatively shallow Ocean – and the scene of the film, A Perfect Storm.  After crossing the North Atlantic, Mos and Roz will make their way through the Bristol Channel and into the British Inland waterways system. Travelling via rivers and canals, they will join the River Thames to enter into the heart of London, aiming to arrive before 27 July 2012 in time for the Olympic opening ceremony.

The OAR Project seeks to create a lasting legacy through the OAR Inspiring Education Program and OAR Legacy, a fund to provide rowing boats for young people in deprived areas of the UK. It is hoped that the OAR Project will help to captivate the spirit and excitement of the 2012 Olympics, to highlight to young people that with the right preparation, determination and some hard work, anything is possible.

To follow the adventure visit: www.oar2012.com

Twitter: @OAtlanticRow

To donate to the OAR Legacy fund, please visit: http://www.justgiving.com/OARProject

The first product to be launched by Lifedge is its innovative Waterproof iPad Case. The case was developed by Scanstrut in response to  evolving demands from marine professionals and boating enthusiasts wanting to take an iPad to sea for use in conjunction with chart plotters, propulsion systems and for on board entertainment.

Already an international market leader in the design and manufacturer of products to protect electronic equipment used in demanding marine environments, Scanstrut boasts a strong 25 year heritage, teamed with a number of prestigious awards and a dynamic development team that includes the former New Product Head of the Dyson Vacuum Cleaner Group.

Tom Reed, Managing Director comments: “For over 25 years Scanstrut has been about performance, innovation and improvement. Our expertise lies in changing and improving how products perform, how they look and are packaged. We innovate new ideas and always put the user at the centre of our design focus.

“When developing the iPad case we realised the product had a reach far beyond the core Scanstrut market. For that reason we decided that by launching it under a new brand, we would have the flexibility to communicate new products to an extended audience, without compromising the scanstrut brand, its product range and its marine product focus which will always be core to us.”

The iPad Case is a waterproof and shockproof enclosure with an IP (Ingress Protection) rating on IP67 to keep water and dust at bay. Rigorous testing has shown that an iPad in a Lifedge case can be immersed in one metre of water for 30 minutes, or dropped onto a concrete floor from a height of one metre without being damaged. It also features an Optiguardcoating for exceptional screen clarity in sunlight, whilst ensuring abrasion and chemical resistance, preventing damage from regular use and exposure to oils, sunscreen and household chemicals.

The Waterproof iPad Case uses a semi rigid two piece case that is easy to take on and off, and compact enough to leave on permanently if required. Models are available to fit both the iPad 1 and iPad 2, and full touch screen usability is available at all times, as are volume, on/off and home buttons, and both front and rear camera functionality is provided for the iPad 2 model. In addition the case for the iPad 2 will float when dropped into deep water.

Tom Reed continues: “Lifedge is all about enabling peak performance, whilst providing protection even in the harshest of conditions, and we have been delighted with the response to the new Waterproof iPad Case. There is an increasing trend in those wanting to carry their tablet computers and phones with them wherever they go. This means the iPad case needs to offer users full functionality of their device, whilst being practical and stylish – all of which this product does.”

The iPad Case has an ergonomically designed hand strap using a soft non-absorbent material, which holds firm across your hand for the perfect fit, and is suitable for both left and right handed users and allows the iPad to be used in portrait or landscape orientation. The iPad Case is available in blue, green, pink and grey and retails at £99 (inc VAT).

Available from May 2012, the ground breaking Fast Find 220 satellite PLB is a stylish and versatile 406 MHz GPS emergency beacon with GPS as standard, enabling a typical positional accuracy of +/- 62m. The 220 also benefits from new contemporary styling, including retro refelective detailing for improved visibility in low light, a six year battery storage life and float pouch included as standard making it a must-have safety device for anyone who spends time on the water for work or leisure purposes. 

Commenting on the launch of McMurdo’s new PLB, Global Sales Director of Orolia Ltd, Ross Wilkinson said, “Our Fast Find range of PLBs are widely recognised as essential safety items by mariners all around the world from fishermen and merchant seaman to transatlantic rowers and solo round-the-world sailors, and have been instrumental in a vast number of documented rescues world-wide. In 2010* alone 2338 people were rescued globally using information provided by the COSPAS SARSAT system.

“We are excited to launch the new Fast Find 220, representing the next generation of our PLB range, with styling and usability enhancements as well as GPS as standard to offer even further peace of mind to all safety conscious sailors.”

The Fast Find 220 is a powerful distress beacon, which provides a direct method of alerting the search and rescue authorities where no other forms of communication are available, using the 406 MHz search and rescue satellite communication system, COSPAS SARSAT*. As well as sending out a distress signal by satellite the 220 also transmits a 121.5MHz homing signal.

Waterproof to 10 metres and able to operate in temperatures as low as -20˚,once activated, using a simple three-stage activation, the 220 will transmit continuously for a minimum of 24 hours at a powerful 5 watt output. The beacon is also small in size weighing just 152g and measuring D34mm x W47mm x L106mm, and features a LED flash light to assist with rescues at night or during limited visibility.

The Fast Find 220 PLB has no subscription charges and  is available from £225 + VAT, €252 + TAX, $299 + TAX with a flotation pouch (plus lanyard and universal carry pouch) included. For further information and a list of stockists, visit www.fastfindplb.com.

Icom will be displaying its latest range of marine communication products at the Powerboat & RIB Show 2012, the show formerly known at RIBEX. On show will be Icom’s new range of marine VHF radios including the IC-M91D, Icom’s first GPS Marine VHF/DSC Handheld and IC-M423 Compact Fixed Mount VHF/DSC. Both models share a new common user interface and noise cancelling technology that are unequalled in VHF models today. Also being showcased for the first time is Icom’s new Marine Commander Navigation System.

New to the Powerboat & RIB Show will be Icom’s line of intuitive menu-driven radios with advanced features such as active noise cancelling, Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and global positioning system (GPS). Ian Lockyer, Marketing Manager of Icom UK, said, ‘We are confident that our end users will appreciate the DSC features our radios offer and how easy they are to use.’

Icom’s latest marine line integrates an intuitive “soft-key” interface permitting faster access to radio functions. Other practical features include enhanced audio quality and GPS functionality. Safety elements are built-in, such as DSC which allows users to send an emergency message at the touch of a button. Icom’s newest marine radios receive an IPX7 Submersible rating allowing water immersion for 30 minutes at a depth of 1 metre.

Also on show will be the Icom Marine Commander Navigation System. The system integrates AIS data from a compatible transponder or receiver, radar information and displays data from a sounder/fish finder. In addition, it also has the capacity to display real-time fuel consumption, engine speed, depth and temperature, and has provisions for four on-board cameras to be connected (via RCA connectors). Up to two 12.1 inch TFT displays can be connected to the Marine Commander’s main processor.

The Powerboat & RIB Show is being held at Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth between 11th and 13th of May 2012. The show is a free event for all the family and will showcase some of the most exciting RIBs and powerboats on the water today. To find out more about the show, please visit Powerboat & RIB Show website.

To see Icom’s extensive range of radio communication and navigational products, please go to the Icom UK Website.

The new VHF delivers high quality performance and features without a high price. The best-in-class microphone has six quick keys for simple and reliable helm operation, plus a built-in speaker that delivers clear audio that is easy to hear – even with the background noise typically associated with boating.  It also has an easy-grip rubber moulding cover for secure holding and operation.

Designed for clear and simple Class D DSC operation, crucial when safety is a concern, the Link-5 radio has an intuitive and efficient rotary control knob for easy channel changing, menu navigation and setting control.

Clear display of GPS lat/lon data is presented on a 1 x 1.8 in (2.6 x 4.6 cm) LCD display with adjustable backlighting. Delivering all international marine channels, the system provides easy access to DSC functions. The Lowrance Link-5 has an extra large channel 16 key, dedicated volume and squelch knobs, weather keys, selectable Dual and TriWatch modes, local and distant functions and three user-selectable channels.

The Link-5 marine VHF radio boasts an ultra-rugged waterproof case construction designed to complement the colour and styling of the new Lowrance HDS^® Gen2 multifunction displays.

“The Lowrance Link-5 VHF radio offers the most functional and easy to use radio for a great price,” said Greg Konig, Product Line Director, Lowrance. “Meeting the latest international compliance standards, the Link-5 delivers ultimate reliability and performance, for unparalleled safety and communication on the water, anywhere in the world.”

Equipped with memory retention, the radio logs up to 10 distress calls and 20 individual DSC calls. DSC control keys include (priority) 16/9, 3CH/+/- for quick channel changing, CALL, EXIT, SCAN and MENU. Additional system features include a rotary volume control with power on/off, all-channel priority and memory channel scans, 20 user-programmable names with MMSI, weather channels with a 1050 Hz tone alert and a second receiver for channel 70.

Offering selectable 25/1-watt transmit power and NMEA^® 0183 compatibility, the Link-5 includes a flush-mount kit, wires for 4-watt external speakers and optional stainless steel / nylon mounts for 2.4 m and 1 m fibreglass antennae. The Lowrance Link-5 radio is protected by a two year limited warranty and supported for an additional three years by the Lowrance 5 Year Advantage Program, which allows customers to upgrade to the latest technology, at a discounted price, in the unlikely event that a product fails or needs repair.

With expected availability from June 2012, the Lowrance Link-5 DSC VHF can be purchased from authorised retailers at an RRP of £133 ex VAT. For more information on the Lowrance Link-5, Lowrance marine electronics, please visit www.lowrance.co.uk

This small but vital piece of software allows Actisense NGT-1 owners to view NMEA 2000 information directly from the NMEA 2000 network, which can help with user diagnosis of any NMEA 2000 network problems. ‘NMEA Reader’ is very helpful to the user as it breaks down the unreadable binary NMEA 2000 messages into easy to read and understand parameters.

The ‘NMEA Reader’ enables anyone to become an NMEA master. Powerful new features push this further to help a user understand exactly what devices are active on the NMEA 2000 network and the full details of each one. Also included are many other features such as calculating the total network LEN to help with battery power management.

To help with backwards compatibility, the ‘NMEA Reader’ is also very adept at displaying NMEA 0183 information, either through the Actisense USG-1 (Isolated USB gateway) or any other safe connection to the PC. As with NMEA 2000 messages, the ‘NMEA Reader’ intelligently breaks down the NMEA 0183 messages into easy to read parameters.

Phil Whitehurst, Managing Director of Active Research Limited said, “This is something we’ve been working on for a while and that we genuinely think will make life easier for boat owners and operators. Our NMEA Reader has been designed to help anyone become a master of their NMEA network. Keep an eye on our website for new software and updates!”

Actisense have the ‘NMEA Reader’ available for download for free at their website.

For more information about Actisense, visit www.actisense.com and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

The fishermen from ‘Onward’, a fishing vessel registered in Buckie were 50 miles north-west of the Orkney town of Stromness when the fire forced them to evacuate to life rafts. The Shetland Coastguard received the alert at 13:28 on Wednesday 11^th April from the UK registered McMurdo beacon and broadcast an alert to all vessels in the area.

A maritime surveillance aircraft was also tasked to attend the scene and report back, after which time a Coastguard rescue helicopter at Sumburgh was sent. On arrival, the five fishermen were winched to safety and all taken to Kirkwall hospital suffering from hypothermia.

Commenting on the incident, Global Sales Director of Orolia Ltd, Ross Wilkinson said, “The rescue of these five fishermen last week highlights just how important it is to carry a distress beacon for when an emergency situation occurs. Thanks to this beacon being correctly registered, the emergency services were able to quickly establish which vessel had issued the distress alert and effectively activate a rescue operation.” 

McMurdo offers a range of emergency location beacon products including EPIRBs, PLBs (Personal Location Beacons), SARTs, AIS Beacons, NAVTEX and VHF Radios – must-have devices for all safety-conscious sailors.

McMurdo’s range of EPIRBs are designed to alert search and rescue services in the event of an emergency by transmitting a coded message on the 406 MHz distress frequency, via the Global search and rescue satellite communication system, COSPAS SARSAT*. The G5 Smartfind EPIRB also includes a GPS receiver ensuring that the exact position of a casualty is relayed to the rescue services.

For further information on McMurdo’s range of safety and emergency location beacon products, visit www.mcmurdomarine.com.

They have converted an  ex Formula 1 Hospitality Unit and fitted it with over 150 of the latest marine products & systems to personalise, upgrade, prepare(for a race or event) and care for any boat large or small. 

With more than 30 top quality brands including KVH, ICOM, Garmin and Raymarine supporting Landau UK’s Showcase Roadshow It represents  a great opportunity for you to play with all the live demo equipment and discuss your ideas and needs and seek advice direct from their engineers.

So if you have been thinking about installing underwater lighting, Efoy fuel cells, replacing your batteries or adding the latest navigation, satellite TV or communications equipment to improve your life on the water you will be able to enjoy a demonstration and discuss the best and most innovative solutions for you and your boat.

Make sure you take advantage of their show offers.

You can contact Landau UK on 01489 577588. They have been going for 16 years and are based in Premier’s Swanwick Marina on the River Hamble. Or you can visit their website www.landauuk.com/blog or email them service@landauuk.com

Dates for the landau UK 2012 Roadshow

Dates & location

Friday 6 – Monday 9 April  - Swanwick Easter Boat Show

Sunday 29 April  - Beaulieu Boat Jumble

Saturday 5 – Monday 7 May  - Sea Safety Weekend Swanwick

Friday 11 – Sunday 13 May - Powerboat & RIB Show Gunwharf Quays

Tuesday 22 – Thursday 24 May - Sea Work

Saturday 4 – 6 June  - Princess Motor Yacht Sales Open Weekend

Saturday 16 June - Poole Afloat

Thursday 21 June TBC - Round Britain Land Sea Air Weymouth WPNSA

Friday 6 – Sunday 8 July  -  Royal Southern YC Motorboat Open Weekend

Saturday 21st July  -  RYA Active Marina Programme Swanwick

Friday 14 – Sunday 23 September  -  Southampton Boat Show

As part of the Orolia Group Organizational re-aligning strategy to support the development of global solutions McMurdo will now offer a number of marine system based products that were previously marketed and sold by sister company Orolia SaS (formerly Kannad SaS), including:

• The world leading KANAToN range of AIS AtoN Beacons and accessories
• The new Oceania Marine Tracking and Monitoring Buoy
• The approved VLINK VMS (Vessel Monitoring System) and electronic log book

These products will now be sold under the McMurdo brand via a new product catalogue, McMurdo ‘Systems for Professionals’ and a newly launched dedicated website, www.mcmurdomarinesystems.com, which offers these products and additional bespoke services.

Commenting on the launch of McMurdo Marine Systems, Director of the Orolia Positioning Division, Jeremy Harrison said, “The launch of McMurdo Marine Systems follows a realignment of the Orolia Group and a simplified portfolio of brands. The strategic changes across the McMurdo product portfolio further enhances our product offering through our international network of distributors and benefits from the integration of our research and development teams.

“McMurdo has been offering market leading electronic safety products to the maritime world for over 30 years and we are delighted to be expanding this offering with the addition of complete professional maritime and land-based satellite tracking and monitoring systems as well.”   

McMurdo Marine Systems’ range of AIS AToNs, VMS and Tracking and Monitoring systems joins the McMurdo portfolio in addition to its existing range of marine safety products including EPIRBs, PLBs, AIS Beacons, SARTs, NAVTEX and VHF Radios.

The unit has four simple connections – one input for the main VHF antenna and then outputs for the AIS receiver/transponder, DSC VHF as well as an optional car radio output.  It utilises Digital Yacht’s new, patented, ZeroLoss technology, to ensure the very best possible reception and transmission from all devices.  And most importantly it is also failsafe, so should the unit ever stop working or lose power, it will not affect the main VHF operation, which is particularly appealing.

Until Digital Yacht embraced this technology, they specifically recommended a dedicated antenna for a receiver or transponder.  However, this new design really offers a lossless solution and greatly simplifies installation.  The unit is waterproof  and matches the aesthetics of the current range of transponders and receivers, so can easily be integrated into any vessel.  It is suitable for operation on 12V or 24V systems.

The SPL2000 is priced at £200 excluding VAT and is available now.  For further information telephone +44 (0)117 955 4474, send an email to sales@digitalyacht.co.uk or visit www.digitalyacht.co.uk

The new site features a contemporary design and has many sections including details about the association, details of its many training schemes, information about what to look for when purchasing marine electronics and the latest news from the Association and its membership. It also has social media plugins linking it to the most popular social networks, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.  To help consumers, there is a revamped member directory which allows them to search the members list by a geography, company type and type of products sold.

Ian Lockyer, Marketing Manager for Icom (UK) Ltd and the BMEA said,’ the new website has received a major overhaul with the clear objective of creating a port of call for consumers and members alike in relation to marine electronics and association news.’

Follow us on Twitter:

Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users’ updates known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length which are displayed on the user’s profile page and delivered to other users who have subscribed to them (known as followers).

You can find our twitter account at: http://www.twitter.com/bmea_uk

Join the BMEA’s ‘Marine Electronics’ group on Linkedin

If you are in the electronics/electrical side of the Maritme industry, why not join the BMEA’s new Linkedin group. The ‘Marine Electronics’ group is the BMEA’s (British Marine Electronics Association) own Linkedin group dedicated to professionals within the Marine Electronics/Electrical industry. Its purpose is to highlight the very latest news and industry developments, discuss best practice and promote debate. The group is open to sales, marketing or engineering professionals from all parts of the industry.

If you want to join, you must be a member of Linkedin first. Once you have registered, go to Group Search and look for ‘Marine Electronics’.

Follow us now on Facebook

Lastly, we have a page on Facebook.  If you are a Facebook  user, please check out our Facebook page  and ‘like’ us.

3 Social network accounts and a new website, now there is no excuse not to keep up to date with our activites.

Ian Lockyer (BMEA Marketing)

The journal normally covers a variety of topics including news from the BMEA itself, developments about its training schemes, industry news, in-depth articles, company profiles and details about the latest products in the market place.  If you are a member and think you could provide editorial based on any of these subjects; please contact me at marketing@bmea.org.  I think it would be a great, as well as FREE way, to promote your company further.

Schedule
Publication               Submission date

1st June                         7th May 

- Going Global
- Satellite Communications
- Night Vision
- Manufacturer Profile
- BMEA News
- Electronics in Inland Waterways

Publication               Submission date

1st September           7th August     

- SouthamptonBoat Show Preview
- MFDs: WHAT’S NEXT?
- BMEA Qualifications
- Chartplotter update
- Looking ahead to the BMEA Conference
- Marketing Tips For The Waterside Dealer
- Chasing Fish
- Dealer Profile

Publication               Submission date

1st December               7th November

- LondonBoat Show Preview
- Onboard security systems
- Latest in Power Supply Technology
- METS overview
- BMEA Conference Review
- Top tips for electronic/electrical installations
- Conference Winners
- BMEA News
- Manufacturer Profile

Publication            Submission date

1st March                  7th February

- What’s new?
- Satelite TV
- Future Trends
- DSC
- BMEA News
- Dealing with electronic interference
- Wireless communications on boats
- Dealer Profile

Ian Lockyer
Marketing Manager (Icom UK)
BMEA Marketing
http://www.bmea.org

I kept the representative of this company on the phone, trying to get his details before telling him how annoyed I was with him in passing his company off as being associated with the BMEA. If you ever have this happen to you, make sure you get as many details about the person and the company who is trying to essentially fool.

If you don’t get this information you won’t have a legal leg to stand if you try to warn other people specifically about the company. If you make specific accusations without proof, you may make yourself legally liable…and you would also be giving the offending company extra publicity/promotion.

As they used to say on Police 5, ‘Keep em peeled.’

Ian Lockyer
Marketing Manager (Icom UK)
BMEA Marketing
http://www.bmea.org

The promotions are part of Mastervolt’s ambitious plans to grow its global position within the marine, mobile and solar markets over the coming years, with the continuous launch and management of innovative power conversion products.

Marc joined the company in 2005, and has since become a well-known authority on Mastervolt’s cutting-edge portfolio. He is also a familiar personality to journalists and customers at International exhibitions. His new role will extend across all the Actuant owned brands of Mastervolt, Marinco, BEP Marine and ParkPower.  Marc will focus on product commercialisations and liaise with the company’s customer base and with the talented engineers.

Taking over his role as Marketing Manager is Laura Willems, who joined Mastervolt 18-months ago as Brand Manager. Before that, she enjoyed a fast-paced 10-year career with global companies such as Cadbury Stimorol and Perfetti Van Melle. In the coming months and years, Laura will be bringing her expertise to bear with the in-house marketing team by identifying Mastervolt’s ongoing marketing priorities.

Commenting upon the promotions, General Manager Hans van Nikkelen Kuijper said, “As part of our strategy for growth, it is very important to define the right products and solutions, and to manage our customers’ needs with technological possibilities and competitive product prices. I am very pleased that Marc and Laura are taking on these new positions; they are a great asset to the company, and I am confident that both will do an outstanding job for us.”

Marc Persoon added, “I’m absolutely delighted with the new role in product management. Now I have the opportunity to be even more closely involved in the integration of marketing, sales, and engineering of our branded products. We have many great new ideas taking shape, and being right at the heart of these developments is very exciting.”

Outlining her new role in marketing, Laura said, “Mastervolt has a very discerning client base, and my job will be to increase the brand awareness through a wide variety of International media, and highlighting the benefits of investing in our premium product range.”